Three Rivers Community Band Festival

The Three Rivers Community Band Festival was begun in order to highlight the community bands in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. The first festival, sponsored by the East Winds Symphonic Band, was presented on April 4, 2004 at the Upper St. Clair Theatre, and was a phenomenal success. The festival has since been an annual tradition each spring.

The 2012 Three Rivers Band Festival will be held on Saturday, April 14. The concert will begin at 2:30pm and will be hosted by WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham

Performing will be:

• Community Band South
• Youngstown Area Community Concert Band
• East Winds Symphonic Band
• The Festival Band

The concert will be held in the Upper St. Clair Theatre. The address is:

Upper St. Clair High School
1825 McLaughlin Run Road
Upper St. Clair, PA 15241

Our goal is to promote awareness and appreciation of the cultural asset we have in our local bands and to promote participation in these groups by amateur musicians of all ages. To do this we hoped to produce a memorable musical event in the Three Rivers Community Band Festival that would become the highlight of the musical year for musicians and local audiences alike.

The Festival Band conductor will be James Gourlay.

James Gourlay has been Head of Wind and Percussion at the Royal Northern College of Music and Deputy Principal and Music Director at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from Salford University, a Masters Degree from Leeds University, a Fellowship of the Royal Northern College of Music, a Fellowship of the London College of Music and is also a recipient of the Henry Iles Medal, presented by the Worshipful Company of Musicians for services to the Brass Band Movement. Currently, James is International Vice President of the International Tuba and Euphonium Association, former Director of Music of the world famous Grimethorpe Colliery Band and now Music Director of the River City Brass.